Archives for March 2011

‘”I think when a new owner steps in and says that, that’s a very strong message,” said Lindy Ruff, the Sabres’ head coach since 1997. “Terry has an incredible passion for the game, he has an incredible passion for the Sabres, and that has given us that little extra push.”‘

‘“It’s nice this time of year to have a little stretch where you’re recognized like that, but I guess it kind of depends on the way we’ve been playing as a team, too. Really paying attention to detail, I think we have good emotion in the game and I think that’s exactly what we need this time of year,” Miller said.’

‘The NHL’s original plan to have six of its teams open the regular season overseas next season has been downsized to four, sources told ESPN.com on Saturday. The Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals, part of the original six teams asked to participate, are no longer in the mix for the Premiere Games, the sources said. The New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks and Buffalo Sabres remain slated to open next season in Europe.

‘The Sabres are eighth in the NHL and third in the Eastern Conference with 217 goals (not counting shootout winners). That’s 16 more than the Alex Ovechkin-led Washington Capitals, eight more than Pittsburgh and even with Steven Stamkos-led Tampa Bay.’

‘The recipe for success against Miller is simple: Get traffic in front of him. It was on the board prior to the previous meeting between the teams two weeks ago, a message the players obviously took to heart.’

‘"If we play the right kind of game, we can play with anybody and we can win hockey games," said Miller, who made 30 stops. "It’s a matter of keeping that attention to detail and keeping that work ethic up there. We’ve been seeing the rewards for playing solid hockey, and by reward I mean we’re getting the wins."’

‘Buffalo’s win was hardly keeper for the postseason DVD. The Sabres didn’t score any fancy goals with tick-tack-toe passing. Ryan Miller was solid in making 30 saves, but he wasn’t required to stand on his head. The Sabres were disciplined defensively and controlled the game from nearly start to finish. In that sense, it was a masterpiece.’

‘General manager Darcy Regier says the team will know more about the extent of the injury–and whether surgery is required–after the player meets with a specialist Monday. Regier says it’s not clear when Leopold could return if the eighth-place Sabres qualify for the playoffs.’

‘Buffalo now has 85 points and sits five points ahead of Carolina, which lost to Tampa Bay on Saturday, for the final playoff spot. Also, the Sabres are two points back of both the Rangers and Canadiens.’